On Monday, we began to discuss the 2012 National Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs from April 23-27 this year. The national program now involves virtually every state in country, and the video above is one from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The video features construction workers each offering what they think is the most important thing for motorists to keep in mind when traveling through a work zone.
Of course, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) also has its own suggestions that it offers motorists to help avoid being involved a work zone auto accident:
- Be alert: Expect the unexpected, as anything can occur when entering a work zone.
- Do not tailgate: The most common crashes in highway work zones are rear-end collisions.
- Do not speed: Adhere to the suggested speed limits in and around the work zones. It should also be noted that fines can be doubled for motorists speeding in a construction area.
- Do not change lanes in the work zone: Avoid driving aggressively and always merge as soon as possible.
- Minimize distractions: Maintain focus on the road and avoid talking or texting on a cell phone while driving in a work zone.
While we noted on Monday that the number of work zone fatalities has been declining every year for the past decade, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows traffic crashes still caused 576 work zone fatalities in 2010. Construction projects can often lead to lane reductions and traffic back-ups, but it is important for all motorists to remain patient when they encounter such work zones. Try to think of the worker in the video above who talks about the family he has or the worker at the end who says he has already been hit once and does not want to get hit again. Speeding or driving aggressively in a construction zone not only places such workers at risk, it increases your own chances of being injured as well.
Wooten Kimbrough, P.A. – Orlando personal injury attorneys
